Motorola might have started it, but it is Chinese phone makers that are keeping the wood look fad going.
OnePlus, Xiaomi and now Meizu, are all Chinese phone makers are getting wood or wood look replacement rear panels for their phones. OnePlus’s recent decision to cancel their genuine wood panels is an indication of how difficult it is to meet the tolerances required to fit a smartphone, which probably explains why these panels are only wood look.
Gizchina News of the week
I found these today while browsing through Taobao (Chinese Ebay). The panels come in a number of colours and wood grain styles and only cost 38 Yuan to Chinese customers.
The panels are not Meizu products but made by a third-party manufacturer who are also offering various other styles, but these wood look models are by far the most eye-catching.
Meizu MX4 Wood Panels
Wood, Carbon, Denim, which would material would you like to switch your smartphone rear cover to?
Where can i buy them?
I’ve seen them in Aliexpress, but the seller doesn’t have any feedback yet. They look awesome though.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Meizu-MX4-print-Battery-back-cover-case-for-Meizu-MX4-MX-4-mobile-phone-wood-texture/2047472842.html
Or a metal back cover, which im likely going to get, once mine mx4 arrives
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Meizu-MX4-Metal-Battery-Back-Cover-Case-for-Meizu-MX4-MX-4-mobile-phone-Metal-Matte/2046101410.html
Where did you order your Meizu MX 4 from ?
Aliexpress. Buyer is called U.Y BUY.
They claim to ship from the UK, so also no import tax. So hopefully they don’t lie about that.
Original Meizu MX4 For the EU No Tax No VAT 4G Fdd Lte WCDMA 2GB Ram MTK 6595 Otca Core flyme4 Android 4.4 20.7MP Mobile phone
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Meizu-MX4-Octa-Core-4G-Fdd-Lte-WCDMA-2GB-Ram-MTK-6595-Otca-Core-flyme4/2035374459.html
(from AliExpress Android)
I hope you can make a feedback when you receive your phone and mention whether the phone is really shipped from the UK. I have that seller in my watch list, so your feedback would really help me whether to buy from this seller or not.
Sure thing. I’ll try to remember to inform you. They are correctly waiting on a second batch, but said it would ship around the 10th.
Lots of orders have been placed since mine. So if you wanted one. Soon is maybe better than later.
Looking forward to your experience Matthew. I mean getting a Hong Kong version is same as international version in sense they both have Google Play installed unlike Mainland version.
I think you can just install what software version you need.
Obviously you need the correct phone with the correct LTE networks.
From what i can work out, they are two versions.
Anyways I would like to write up a detailed review (once it arrives) and maybe @Gizchina:disqus will let me post it on here for everyone to read.
hello!
i wanna recommend you this seller: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Original-Meizu-MX4-4G-LTE-Mobile-Phone-MTK6595-Octa-core-5-36-1920×1152-2GB-RAM-16GB/1153179_2037748880.html
i did NOT buy mx4 from him, but i DID buy MI4 recently, and i can confirm that i got genuine phone and without extra costs. he first send large batch via dhl to uk, then to rest of europe via fedex. i didnt pay any extra cost(slovenia)
Now, where are the back panels for the Xiaomi Mi4?
This. I have been considering selling my Nubia Z7 and getting a Mi4 but can’t stand the boring white back panel.
if you sell your nubia 7, i want to buy it for sure !
My sister is already tops on that list lol.
you are not satisfied with the phone? i am planning to get one too
These are prints / decals, not real wood.
Yep, this is actually mentioned in the post “which probably explains why these panels are only wood look.” 😉
Does anyone know how I could order through Aliexpress? I got a Maestro debit card, could I order via this or should I have a paypal account?
ali accepts debit cards, you don’t need to use paypal only system)
PayPal is much safer though
Don’t pay by debit card as their is not as much fraud protection as a credit card, if you pay with a credit card and no delivery the credit card should refund. Debit card company / bank usually do not refund.
Paypal is your best bet when buying anything from China.
aliexpress is save,
he protect my money from scamed seller.
when i prove my mi3 is fake from seller, aliexpress full refund my money.
Review them for us, Andi?
nice…. I’m waiting for the MX4 but I have a big dilema… back case or flip case ? I’d like more the back case but it does not protect the screen….any suggestions? Thanks!
I’m using mine with not case or screen protector. It’s holding up fine for now.
Boring, who cares about a wooden coloured back panel
I do, I find the original grey panel to be extremely boring looking while the rest of the phone looks rather nice. I would probably get one of these back if i had a mx4
they look fake(not wood) and cheap… till now not a single company has wood/bamboo out there,lets see if xiaomi is the first to offer official wood covers(still waiting…)
“wood look” i.e. they only look like wood. Yup, hope that Xiaomi make some real wood panels for the Mi4
Why don’t you change the headline to acurately describe the product?
Actually Oneplus One has bamboo out there.
Thank all of you! I thought that Aliexpress doesn’t accept PayPal, just credit/debit cards. Anyway I’ll try to use my PayPal account, otherwise I’ll go with my debit card. Let’s hope that it’s not scam!!!
aliexpress is not a scam. I buy loads of stuff from there, however a lot of sellers sells replica therefore you need to READ the reviews and try to find good sellers. Just to let you know even if they are replicas most are 1:1 replicas you wont be able to see the difference.
aliexpress is good,
i got full return of my money after i prove phone i bought is fake.
maybe there are scam seller, but aliexpress will protect consumer from scame
The problem with wooden covers is that being a natural material it will absorb moisture when in a damp environment and swell/expand, and shrink when its very warm, hence will be very difficult to get one with perfect tolerances due to the constant changes in humidity.
BUT, i want it! 😀
Its a print